1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to bailers. More particularly, it relates to a bailer that performs the function of a bailer and of a sample container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All conventional bailers require emptying into a sample container shortly after a sample has been taken from a body of water or other liquid fluid. The sample container is then placed in a cooler and transported to a lab so that the sample can be analyzed.
Most workers in the field simply invert the bailer to empty it. This emptying procedure is unacceptable, however, because it allows oxygen to enter the liquid fluid, thereby resulting in false data. Moreover, the pouring action agitates the liquid fluid.
To encourage workers in the field to empty bailers without inverting them, numerous emptying devices have been developed that lift the valve at the lowermost end of the bailer from its valve seat. The most common emptying device is a nozzle; another well-known device is known in the industry as a VOC emptying device.
VOC devices, nozzles, and other emptying devices also add expense to the bailer manufacturing process.
Inventors in the bailer field have developed numerous emptying devices, but the problems associated therewith persist. What is needed is an innovation that provides an answer to the bailer emptying problem.
However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the answer could be provided.